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2008
Here are some of the events of 2008. January * January 1 - LTR's second annual "Top 10 Talkers of 2007." Mike Malloy is top pick among readers. * Marc (Mr. K) Germain is gone from KTLK Los Angeles in cost-cutting measure. * January 2 - Coz Carson added to WWRL New York morning show. Mark Riley returns to WLIB. * January 3 - Stacy Taylor, late of KLSD San Diego, starts new show on XEPE. * January 3 - KLCY Missoula, MT flips to progressive talk as KMPT. * January 7 - Former WWRL morning host Sam Greenfield debuts new morning show on WVNJ in New York suburb on Oakland, NJ. * January 14 - WZNZ Jacksonville goes progressive talk. * January 15 - The Young Turks do final show on Air America. * January 17 - Media reports that KGO San Francisco talker Bernie Ward was fired effective at the end of 2007, with an open door to return, as he awaits trial for child pornography charges. * January 21 - KKGN San Francisco shuffles its lineup, reducing Stephanie Miller to one hour and making rather radical (and poorly received) changes. Within a few weeks, Miller returns to the full three hours. * January 28 - A group leases a five hour evening block of programming on KMNY Dallas, adding local shows and Mike Malloy. * January 30 - David Goldstein is let go from KIRO (710-AM, Seattle); see also DK diary by "mcjoan" February * February 1 - KTLK Los Angeles shuffles lineup again, adding Mike Malloy and Phil Hendrie and dropping Ed Schultz. The station also clears room for an extended three hour Rachel Maddow show, which it turns out will be announced soon. * February 4 - Saga Communications' KBAI Bellingham, WA flips to progressive talk. * February 4 - KEZX Medford, OR drops liberal/conservative talk format for sports. * February 21 - Air America announces sale to Charlie Kireker. * February - KXLJ Juneau signs on with progressive talk format. March * March 28: KSAC Sacramento switches from progressive talk to gospel and changes call letters to KRJY. * March 22: At a live nightclub event to promote KKGN San Francisco, Randi Rhodes uses vulgar language to describe Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro. The incident later leads to controversy when it shows up on YouTube. * March 13: House members take up resolution of disapproval regarding FCC's December loosening of cross-ownership restrictions * March 5: Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) introduces resolution of disapproval regarding FCC's December loosening of cross-ownership restrictions * March 5 - WNWF Destin, FL flips to progressive talk. April * April 1 - WWRL New York announces sweeping changes, as morning host Richard Bey leaves the station, Ed Schultz and Al Franken are added, and a hefty chunk of Air America programming is dropped. * April 1 - Air America relaunches website. * April 2 - KCCT Corpus Christi flips from Spanish back to a liberal/conservative/nonpartisan talk format, featuring Stephanie Miller. * April 2 - Various media outlets report that progressive radio executive Tom Athans had been implicated in a prostitution sting operation. * April 2 - Air America owner Charlie Kireker indicates he is shopping for another New York City station to carry network programming recently dropped by WWRL. * April 3 - Randi Rhodes suspended by Air America when a clip her bawdy San Francisco appearance makes the rounds of the blogosphere and media outlets. The suspension is later found to be related mostly to stalled contract negotiations. * April 5 - The campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain calls on Democratic front-runner Barack Obama to condemn Ed Schultz for referring to McCain as a "warmonger" while warming up the crowd at an Obama event. * April 9 - John Scott, program director of KKGN San Francisco, claims he was informed that Randi Rhodes was no longer with Air America, and indicated that he would resume airing her show beginning the following week, with or without the network. Other Clear Channel-owned stations, including her flagship WJNO West Palm Beach, soon follow suit. * April 10 - Randi Rhodes officially leaves Air America, signs syndication deal with Nova M Radio. * April 14 - On her first show with Nova M Radio, now originating from WJNO, Rhodes claims her departure from Air America had more to do with a contract stalemate, but that her former employer spread the San Francisco appearance controversy as a ploy to 'test her worth' and used it as grounds for her suspension. * April 14 - Air America launches "American Afternoon," with a rotating slate of celebrity guest hosts, starting with actor-comedian Richard Belzer. * April 14 - Rachel Maddow becomes a regular contributor to new MSNBC show Race For The White House. The show will be simulcast via Air America as the first hour of Maddow's radio show starting April 23. * April 14 - At the National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas, actor/activist Tim Robbins delivers a scathing keynote address, lashing out at broadcast executives for fostering an environment that promoted irresponsible news reporting, homogenized programming and right-wing bloviators cluttering the airwaves and other offenses. * April 14 - Joy Behar hosts American Afternoon for the week. * April 21 - Roseanne Barr and Johnny Angel host American Afternoon for the week. May * May 4 - Sam Seder and Marc Maron fill in for the week on American Afternoon. * May 5 - XM begins airing Randi Rhodes in place of American Afternoon. * May 7 - Owner of WZNZ Jacksonville reaches deal to sell to religious broadcaster. * May 11 - Sam Seder's contract with Air America expires. * May 12 - Ron Reagan hosts American Afternoon for the week. * May 19 - Ron Kuby hosts American Afternoon for the week. * may 19 - WCPT adjusts lineup, adding Rachel Maddow and Thom Hartmann, announcing a Friday afternoon Chicago-only hour of Hartmann's show. * May 25 - The final airing of Seder on Sunday with Sam Seder. * May 26 - Marc Maron hosts American Afternoon for the week. * May 26 - Former Air America CEO Evan Montvel-Cohen arrested at Guam's airport on a Hawaii warrant for theft, credit card fraud, forgery, and money laundering charges. June * June 1 - In what is billed as 'the nation's first green radio station,' KAND (1340AM) in Dallas launches "Green Radio." * June 2 - Actor/musician/comedian Hal Sparks hosts American Afternoon for the week. * June 3 - Air America announces hiring of Ron Kuby for afternoon show. * June 4 - Clear Channel strikes deal to sell three AM stations, including WWRC Washington, DC to Daniel Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting. * June 8 - Politically Direct with David Bender returns to replace Seder on Sunday. * June 8 - Al Franken becomes the de facto Senate nominee from Minnesota after winning the endorsement of the state's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). * June 9 - First airing of Doin' Time with Ron Kuby on Air America. * June 9 - Access.1 Communications, owner of WWRL New York, purchases Randy Michaels' and Stu Crane's stake in The Ed Schultz Show. * June 14 - San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom launches weekend show on KKGN. * June 18 - KIST Santa Barbara to be sold to California Lutheran University for $1.44 million, will convert to noncommercial status upon sale approval. * June 23 - Legendary comedian George Carlin dies at 71. * June 23 - Air America names former WWRC program director Bill Hess as new VP-programming. July * July 1 - KMNY Dallas extends progressive talk from part-time to full-time * July 1 - Air America hires another WWRC alum, former station manager Bennett Zier, as CEO. * July 7 - Dos Costas Communications to sell Barstow radio cluster, including KSZL, to Dallas-based First Broadcasting Investment Partners. * July 14 - Air America channel on XM Radio revises lineup and relaunches as "America Left." The Young Turks are added to the lineup. * July 14 - Stephanie Miller added to mornings at XESURF in San Diego. * July 17 - The New York Times publishes a profile of Rachel Maddow, claims she is at the top of the list for own MSNBC show. August * August 1 - Entercom's WROC Rochester, NY slate to drop progressive talk. * August 1 - Non-Stop Radio Symposium to bring together progressive talk radio hosts and fans, Madison, WI. * August 16 - KPTK Seattle holds "We The People" town hall, featuring Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow, Randi Rhodes, Mike Malloy and Sam Seder. Hosting the event will be Ron Reagan Jr. References Category:Timeline